Locking collar for instrument mountings



Jam. 26, 1954 H. s. PASTURCZAK 2,667,321

LOCKING COLLAR FOR YIINSTRUMENT qpurmcs Filed Oct. 12, 1951 2 Shuts-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

1712293! Paszzzrcyai Patented Jan. 26, 1954 UNITED PATENT OFFICE rocnmeconts FOR 1N$TRUMENT MonNTmc-s Harry S. Pasturczak, East 1M0line, I ll. Apnlication @ctober 12, 1951, Serial'No. 25150127 4 filaims. (011248 188) The present invention relates to an improved adjustable locking collar designed for use in con.- nection with instrument mountings of the ty e shown and described in my prior Patent i2; 5, 2&,7 3, dated October 3, 1950, for Instrument Mounting.

Briefly the instrument mounting shown and described in the above-mentioned patent includes abasesocket member adapted to be carried on i ipodor oth r fixedinstrume t u po t togeth with a split elbow structure having a vertically xten in com os te splitlesse i n tele c pical y ce ved ithin the socket m mbe a d a ho in al y e tend ng omposite s lit arm section o which there is mounted a lockingficollar of the type. to which the prfl ent invention app ertains. The l kin c l arof said pnt ntin ludcs an expansible.andcontractible friction band whichopera ess n r llyin thema ner O a rak band to apply pressure .to the composite split arm on which the .lqckingcollar is mounted, not only to lock the collar in any desired .position f adjust.- ment, but also to compress the split sections .of the horizontal arm and move them toward each other .to rock .the sections about a fulcrum axis andexpand the split leg sections against the ,wall of the socket in which they are disposed to there.- y l ck th sp it elb w s u tu e in its en i et against rotationabout .a yertical axis. The lock.- ing ,collar constitutes .a mounting element .on wh ch an nst ument supporting pad .is ad ed t be o n d in {th c nti al ma e and toward thisend the lock ng Collar is .providefiwith an .offsetattachment lug.

The xpa si and t act on f t e f iction bandof said patent is cont o ed m ns o a iste g p structure hav n an op rat n tr e which when released applies the force ,ofa loaded spring to the friction band to contract the same upon "the horizontal arm of the elbow structure. When the trigger is depressed, the load of the spring-is relieved and the friction band is allowed to expand '50 that universal movement of the instrument is=made possible.

Itiis among the principal objects ofthe present invention to provide a "locking .colla-rof the gen-:- eral class disclosed in said patent, butwhich :is .of improved construction whereby the completed rt cle m y inade un-from a num er of inexpe e pre ab ca ed elements. certain :o a e olnr cl of s eet metal and w ich a e so ssem ed n a ot e a to pmduce a locks collar which wil periprm t un tions m re flicient y th h r ofore A th b ect c the in e tion i to pres de such ion sin collar having assn ia .41 therewith v5 a pair of spaced confining cylindrical wall surfaces or edges which are disposed on opposite sides .of a friction band portion and which are concentric with the friction band when the latter is in its applied position and which serve to limit the extent of spreading movement of the split horizontal arm portion of the split elbow structure on which the locking collar is mounted, as well as to render a more stablestructure in which there is less tendency for the splitsectionsof the elbow to shift axiallyrelative to each other.

Other objects and advantages of the invention not at this time enumerated will become more readily apparent as the natureiofthe invention is better understood.

In the accompanying single sheet of drawings forming part of this specification, a preferred embodiment of the improved locking collar has been shown, 'Wherein:

Fig. l is a longitudinal, sectional View taken substantially centrally through a pistol grip as.- sembly and transversely through a split collar assembly of an instrument mounting and showing the improved locking collar inoperative position onthe latter;

'2 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 1. In this View certain parts are shown in section to mQle clearly reveal the nature of the invention;

Fig. .3 is a perspective view of the improved locking collar;

Fig. 4 is a front view in elevation of the improved locking collar shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is aside view in elevation, with parts brokenaway ,for purpose of clearness of illustration, of the locking structureshown in Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 .of Fig. .1

,In all of the above described views similar characters of reference are employed to designate similar parts throughout.

Referring now to th drawings in detail, the improved locking collar is shownin Fig. 3 and is designated in its entirety at it. This locking collar is designed for use in connection with an instrument m u ing Of the type h w in th b ve-men ion na en and Which has..beenillu trated in Figs. 1 and 2 to a degree suflicient to lead to an understanding of the nature and funcon-9 th lockinsco la The instrument mountingshown in Figs. land 2 involves in itsgeneral organization a twoapiece split fitting or elbow l2 whichis preferably though not nefiessarily constructed as illustrated in my nding application Serial 25.1.1116, filed October 12, 1951. The said split elbow herein shown, when assembled in the instrument mounting, includes a composite vertical leg l4, a composite horizontal arm 55 and a composite connecting elbow portion H3. The leg 14 is telescopically received and supported in a base socket member in which it is retained by means of a keeper screw 22 which extends through the base into an annular groove 24 provided at the lower end of the leg I4. The elbow I2 is thus capable of rotational movements about the vertical axis of the socket member 29 for panoramic sweeping movements of the camera or other instrument carried by the mounting. The arm 18 receives thereover the locking collar it of the present invention and on which the instrument is adjustably mounted.

The locking collar is capable of tilting movements about the horizontal axis of the arm IE, when released for such tilting movement, or of being locked to the arm l6 against tilting movement thereon.

The adjustable mounting for the instrument on the locking collar assembly Ill includes an instrument supporting assembly 25 having an adjustable pad ZG-providing a seat on which the instrument, which may be a camera (not shown), is" clamped. The pad 28 is provided with the usual stud and thumb wheel assembly 33. The locking collar includes an upper offset apertured lug 32 on which the assembly 26 is adjustably mounted and to which it is adapted to be adjustably clamped by means of a clamping knob $4. The opening or aperture 38 in the lug 32 is coneshaped in design and receives the corresponding tapered portion 38 of a clamping belt 48. The bolt 48 extends through a portion of the adjustable pad 28 on which the instrument is clamped 4 and the pad is provided with spaced clamping surfaces 42 and 44 which engage the opposite side face of the lug 32. tion 48 prevents turning movement of the clamp ing bolt relative to the pad 28. The clamping knob 34 is threadably received on the end of the bolt and, when tightened against the outer face of the adjusting pad, draws the tapered surfaces of the bolt 40 and lug 32 into clamping engagement with each other to clamp the pad in a desired adjusted position. The above-described adjustable mounting forms no part of the present invention and reference may be had tothe abovementioned patent for a more complete disclosure and description of the operation thereof, it being sufficient for purposes of the present invention to state the function of the apertured lug 32 on the collar I0 is to provide an adjustable support for the instrument supporting assembly 26.

The split elbow l2 comprises two separable,

similar, complementary L-shape sections 48 and 50, the adjacent faces of the sections being formed with cooperating fulcrum bearings at a location intermediate their ends, so that pressur applied to the split sections of the horizontal arm l6 tending to bring the opposed surfaces 52 and 54 thereof together will force the split sections of the vertical leg 14 apart outwardly and into frictional holding engagement with the cylindrical wall of the socket member 20, so as to hold the split elbow 12 against turning movement about its vertical axis.

The locking collar [0 of the present invention is provided with a second and lower lug 55 having a cylindrical bore 58 therein, the axis of which extends at a right angle to the axis of the coneshaped bore provided in the upper aperture lu 32 and this lower lug 56 is provided forthe pur- A pin and slot connec pose of supporting an operating handle or pistol grip assembly 88, the nature and function of which will appear presently. The locking collar i0 is further provided with an enlarged opening or bore 62 therethrough, through which the forward end of the horizontal arm 16 of the split elbow structure l2 extends and on which arm the locking collar is supported for angular tilting movement about a horizontal axis. The locking collar includes a yieldable friction band 64 which is 1 split medially and circumferentially therearound as at 65 and which encompasses the arm 16 and is movable into and out of clamping arrangement with the latter. The straps or sections of the split band 64 are resilient and are normally sprung outwardly so as to relieve their gripping action on the split arm l6 and they are capable of being forced into gripping engagement with the arm, in the manner of a brake band, by means of a pair of attachment lugs 66 which are operatively connected through a train of mechanism about to be described to a compression spring 88 associated with the operating bane dle or piston grip assembly 60.

The pistol grip assembly 50 includes a barrel portion 12, the forward end of which projects through a sleeve or thrust bushing 14 yieldingly and frictionally held in the oifset apertured lug 32 provided on the body portion of the locking 'assembly 24. The barrel 12 projects into the casing 11 of the pistol grip assembly and is provided with a clearance slot 18 through which there extends the upper end of a trigger member which is pivoted as at 82 to the casing 11 and v which depends from the latter.

The casing 11 is provided with a trigger handle 84 in which the trigger 80 is guided. The sleeve 14 and barrel 12 are secured together against relative turning movement by means of a pair of screws 86 which pass through the sleeve and into the wall of the barrel. The body portion 11 including the handle 84, together with the barrel 12, is capable. of lateral swinging movement about the axis of the barrel to accommodate the natural position of the wrist and hand when operating the in? strument mounting.

The pressure spring 68 is disposed within the v barrel 12 adjacent its rear end and pressure exerted by the spring is adapted to be applied to the clamping bands 64 of the locking collar 18 through the medium of a sectional thrust rod including a rear rotatable section 88 and a front non-rotatable section 9|), both sections being disposed within the barrel 12 in end-to-end relationship. The non-rotatable section 80 is provided with an ear 92 which projects upwardly through a slot 94 provided in the barrel 12 in the upper regions thereof and which slot is of fairly large circumferential extent in order to give a wide angle of swinging movement to the: pistol grip handle 84. The rear rotatable rod section 88 is provided with a slot 96 in register.

with the slot 18 and through which the trigger member 80 extends. The rear end of the rotatable rod section 88 is formed with a slot 88 and a guide pin I00 carried by the barrel 12 projects through the slot 98 so as to connect the barrel and rod section for turning movement in unison,

while still permitting relative sliding movement of the rod section within the barrel. The trigger member 80 is adapted to bear as at I02 against one end of the slot 98 in the rod section 88, and the forward movement of the trigg r member 80, and consequently of the rod section 88, is limited by a stop-surface I04 EPIOVided on th'e'body-II.

The effective length-of the non-rotatable rod section 90- iscapable of-being varied by-means'of an elon'gated pin 106 which extends "through a bore 108 provided -in the rod section and which-has its rear en'd projecting beyond the end of the rod section 90 and bearing against the end of the rod section 88. The forward end of the pin G is threadably received as at I09 in the-forward end of the rod :section'90 and an adjusting knob I I0 secured to the -extreme forward end-of the pin :I06 is secured to the pin so that the latter maybe-shiftedin one direction or the other through the --section 0 to increase or decrease its effective length'an'dythus determinethe throwofthe fricticn bands 64. The trigger member80-is' normallyheld against the rear end of: the slot 90 by means of a spring pressed plunger I-I2 disposed within a bore -II 3 provided-in the rotatable rod section 88. The rearendof the barrel 7:2threadablyreceives an adjusting plug II4 by means of which the compressionof the spring'68 maybe-varied to in turn vary the pressure applied by the friction bands 64.

From'the above description it willbe seen that when nospressure is applied to the trigger memb-er- 80,the spr'ing 68, acting through the two rod sections 88 and 90, will apply full spring pressuretothefriction bands-t l tending to contract the same on the horizontal arm I6 of the split elbow I- 2, tl-iereb'y not only holding the looking collar or brake I-0 against turning movement about. the horizontal axis of the arm, but also compressing the split end of the arm I 6 and spreading the split'l'eg'fl thereof in the manner previously "described to lock the split elbow against turning-movement about avertic'ai axis. The instrument support or pad 28 is thus locked against swinging movement about either a vertical or a horizontal axis. Upon depression of the trigger member 80, the rotatable rod section 88 will be moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, thereby compressing the spring 68 and allowing the rod section 90 to follow the movement of the rod section 88 to release the pressure on the friction bands 64 and permit the split sections 48 and 50 of the composite elbow arm IE to move away from each other. Pressure of the split sections of the leg I4 against the inner wall surface of the base socket is thus relieved so that the split elbow I2 is capable of turning movement within the base socket. At the same time, the relieving of pressure by the friction bands 64 on the arm I6 permits the locking collar I0 to be swun about the horizontal axis of the arm to tilt the instrument support or pad 28 in a fore and aft direction.

The instrument mounting of the present invention is capable of two main types of control. The instrument support or pad 28 may be locked in a fixed position against swinging movement about the horizontal axis of the arm I6 in a fore and aft direction, or it may be locked against panoramic swinging movement about the vertical axis of the leg I4. The instrument support may be released for both types of movement simultaneously upon depression of the trigger member 80. Alternatively, the control means may be so conditioned that release of the trigger member 80 is incapable of locking the instrument support 28 against panoramic swinging movement and is capable only of locking the support 2 6againstzswinging:movement about thelhori zontal-axis ofarml I 6.

The control means-for effecting :these two types of locking action form's nojpart 'of-thegpresent invention and reference'maybehad-to the abovementioned patent and-reference may beihadito my co-pending Serial No. 251,016., :filed October 12 1951, for Instrument Mountingiand Method of Forming an Element l-Thereof."

This application discloses .a manually :con-- trolled spreading means which extends "between the two splitsections of the arm I6 i-andwhich is operable under theco'ntrol of an operating finger H6 (Fig. 2) when in one position, to spread the sections apart permanently .so that the :split clamping band '64 is incapable of contracting them and'which isnoperable, when the finger II 6 is in another position, to permit contraction of these sections under the control of the friction band-64.

Whereas in my priorpatent, above referred :to, the locking collar assembly I0 has been shown and described as'beingoi oneepiececastz-cone struction, the present collaris formed of multiple piece construction as shown in Figs. 3, ,4, 5 and-6. This locking collar I0 inc1udes=a v pair of side plates I20 and I22 which may be in the format light sheet metal stampings and which, inithe assembled structure, are disposed in parallelism and serve to support therebetween-adjacent their upper end a bushing I24, theextremeendswof which are "reduced as at I26and extend into ali ned openings I28 provided at the upper ends of the side members I20 andI22. .Thereduced ends of the bushing I24 may be'secured in position within the openingsinany suitable manner as for example by soldering or brazing or the like. lhe bushing I24 and reducedupper ends of the sides I20 and I22 constitute the aforementioned apertured lug 32 which carries the adjustable instrument mounting 26.

The lower ends of the sides I20 and I22 are turned inwardly as at I30 and extend into a pair of diametrically opposed slots I32 provided in a lower bushing I34 and are suitably secured in the slots in any suitable manner as for example by brazing. The low bushing I34 and reduced lower ends of the sides I20 and I22 constitute the aforementioned lower lug 56 which supports the pistol grip assembly 60.

The medial regions of the sides I20 and I22 are enlarged and are provided with a pair of aligned apertures I36 and I38 therein which apertures serve to support therebetween a one-piece looking band assembly I40 including the split locking band section 64. The locking band assembly I40 is generally of cylindrical shape and comprises a cylindrical body which is split transversely along three planes at I42, 05, and I46 to provide the two locking band sections 64 and to provide two outer continuous ring sections I50 and I52. These latter ring sections I50 and I52 extend into the openings I36 and I38 respectively and may be soldered, brazed, or otherwise secured in position therein. The free ends of the two looking bands 64 have mounted thereon the respective attachment lugs 68 which may be of laminated sheet metal construction for the sake of strength and rigidity. It is to be noted that the extent of the locking bands sections 64 are relatively great and the movable portions of the band sections encompass approximately 270 about the surface area of the split sections of the horizontal arm I6 of the elbow structure I2 when the locking collar I0 is assembled in the instrument mounting. This enables the locking band to encompass a major portion of each section of the splitarm It so as to move both sections, each one toward the other, rather than moving only one section relative to the other which is the case with the less extensive locking band shown in the above-mentioned patent. The continuous inner edges of the ring-like portions I50 and I52 of the locking band assembly I40, which are fitted within the openings I36 and I38 of the sides I20 and I22 respectively, constitute confining members for limiting the extent of spreading movement of the split sections of the horizontal arm ll of the split elbow l2, so that the sections of the split elbow cannot be separated to such an extent as to dislodge the mating fulcrum areas or to force the sections out oi. proper alignment.

I claim:

1. In an instrument mounting structure of the character described, the combination with an arm member, of a locking collar for releasably gripping said arm member, the said collar comprising a pair of spaced, parallel, substantially fiat, sheet metal side members provided with aligned medial openings therethrough and. with oifset aligned openings in the upper regions thereof, a bushing extending between said side members and having its opposite ends secured in said offset openings to provide an apertured lug, a second bushing having its axis extending at right angles to the axis of said first bushing and supported along its sides between the lower ends of said side members below said medial openings therein, and a locking band assembly including a cylindrical body formed at its opposite ends with continuous ring portions fixed in the medial openings of said side members and adapted to receive said arm member therein with capacity for turning movement of the locking collar about said arm and formed intermediate said continuous ring portions with an arouate expandable and contractible band portion adapted to be flexed into releasableholding engagement with said arm member, whereby the said continuous ring portions of said cylindrical body and the said side members support the locking collar rotatably on said arm member independently of said arouate band portion.

2. In a combination structure as defined in claim 1, characterized in that said expandable and contractible band portion is separated from said continuous ring portions by slots extending transversely of the cylindrical body and extending oircumferentially around the greater portion of said cylindrical body. i

3. In a combination structure as defined in claim 2, characterized in that said expandable and contractible band portion is divided by a central slot into a pair of bands, whereby the separate band portions are adapted to grip the said arm member of the instrumentmountin structure.

4. In a combination structure as defined in claim 3, characterized inthat the second bushing is formed on its external surface with diametrioally exposed grooves extending lengthwise of the bushing and in that the lower ends of the side members are formed with inturned edges which fit into said grooves.

HARRY S. PASTURCZAK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Pasturczak July 22, 1947 

